UPDATE: Demonstrations And Police Arrests In Barcelona And Other Parts Of Catalonia

THE THIRD day of protests against the ‘procés’ sentence has left a trail of chaos and destruction in Catalonia, where demonstrators participating in a rally called by the so-called Comité de Defensa de la República (CDR) have led to a new pitched battle against the police.

The centre of Barcelona has again experienced a second night of strong clashes between Mossos d’Esquadra and groups of demonstrators, leaving a scenario of battle and an escalation in the degree of violence that President Quim Torra has attributed to “groups of infiltrators and provocateurs.”

The president of the Generalitat made an appearance at midnight to make an appeal for calm. Torra, has condemned the violence in the demonstrations: “There is no justification either for burning cars or for any act of vandalism. The protest must always be peaceful”.
“I appeal for calm and serenity. This has to stop”.
“We cannot allow a group of infiltrators to damage the image of independence,” says Quim Torra.

At least twenty arrests throughout Catalonia yesterday for alleged connection with violent acts in the context of different rallies and demonstrations.

In Tarragona, violent demonstrators have burned over 50 containers.

In Lleida, the headquarters of the Treasury was partly burnt due to the fire originating in some containers. The fire has now been extinguished leaving multiple damage to the door and windows and smoke has entered the interior.

In Girona demonstrators threw objects at the police and in the neighbourhood of Pedret, near the National Police, barricades have been set up and containers burned.

The mayoress of Barcelona, Ada Colau stated: “The marches are an example of democratic mobilization, but it is not the place where the president of the Generalitat should be”.

“The situation of fires and altercations is intolerable.”